EBU calls for end to sat-jamming

EBU calls for end to sat-jamming

The EBU has called on delegates at the World Radiocommunication Conference at the ITU in Geneva to draft a treaty to tackle the issue of ‘Satellite uplink jamming’ – basically when states block transmissions to prevent messages getting out, or unwelcome signals coming in.

Satellite uplink jamming contravenes Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: “Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.”

The EBU’s appeal about this growing aggressive practice was also brought to the conference on behalf of the Directors General of five international broadcast organisations (so-called DG5): BBC, Deutsche Welle (DW), Audiovisuel Extérieur de la France (AEF), Radio Netherlands Worldwide (RNW) and the US Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG).